Skip to main content

Yesterday some high-profile people had their Twitter accounts hacked by scammers who sent out fake tweets asking followers to send money using Bitcoin – a type of cryptocurrency or digital money.

Cryptocurrency scams are now a popular way for scammers to trick people into sending money. And they pop up in many ways. Most crypto scams can appear as emails trying to blackmail someone, online chain referral schemes, or bogus investment and business opportunities. But here’s what they all have in commonand what they have in common with yesterday’s Twitter hacks: A scammer wants you to send money, or make a payment, with Bitcoin or another type of cryptocurrency. Once you do, your money is gone, and there’s generally no way to get it back.

So if you see a tweet (or a text, email, or other message on social media) that tells you to pay with Bitcoin, you know that’s a scam. Other signs that something’s a scam? They might guarantee that you’ll make money (those guarantees are false); promise that you’ll double your money quickly (again, that’s always a fake promise); or say you’ll get free money in dollars or cryptocurrency (free money? Nope, not ever). 

If you spot a cryptocurrency scam, report it immediately to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. For more information, check out What To Know About Cryptocurrency.

It is your choice whether to submit a comment. If you do, you must create a user name, or we will not post your comment. The Federal Trade Commission Act authorizes this information collection for purposes of managing online comments. Comments and user names are part of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) public records system, and user names also are part of the FTC’s computer user records system. We may routinely use these records as described in the FTC’s Privacy Act system notices. For more information on how the FTC handles information that we collect, please read our privacy policy.

The purpose of this blog and its comments section is to inform readers about Federal Trade Commission activity, and share information to help them avoid, report, and recover from fraud, scams, and bad business practices. Your thoughts, ideas, and concerns are welcome, and we encourage comments. But keep in mind, this is a moderated blog. We review all comments before they are posted, and we won’t post comments that don’t comply with our commenting policy. We expect commenters to treat each other and the blog writers with respect.

  • We won’t post off-topic comments, repeated identical comments, or comments that include sales pitches or promotions.
  • We won’t post comments that include vulgar messages, personal attacks by name, or offensive terms that target specific people or groups.
  • We won’t post threats, defamatory statements, or suggestions or encouragement of illegal activity.
  • We won’t post comments that include personal information, like Social Security numbers, account numbers, home addresses, and email addresses. To file a detailed report about a scam, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

We don't edit comments to remove objectionable content, so please ensure that your comment contains none of the above. The comments posted on this blog become part of the public domain. To protect your privacy and the privacy of other people, please do not include personal information. Opinions in comments that appear in this blog belong to the individuals who expressed them. They do not belong to or represent views of the Federal Trade Commission.

Michael …
July 16, 2020
I don't believe in everything I read, or hear. If I think it's a scam, it probably is 99% of the time. I hear a lot on television about scams going on, during this (COVID-19) year. Where people have loss their jobs, due to this affect. And having a hand time trying to get unem- plyment due to it. THANKS AGAIN! for posting this.
AMHWORK
September 03, 2020
I was scammed by an instagram person faking a celebrity i talked with this scammer 8 months via WhatsApp and I sent money to them via paypal then I was cohearsed to give my banking login and from there they hustled me out of my 13k from the unemployment money they said oh i routed money to your account and never gave me time to verify that was my unemoyment money. They where really patient with me and waitied 8 months for my payment then i exposed them...by video on whatsapp. They asked me to bitcoin the money via atm.
Rochnash
October 13, 2020

In reply to by AMHWORK

What celebrity were they faking to be? I have had this happen to me as well..I didn't lose money though.
Rochnash
October 13, 2020

In reply to by AMHWORK

What celebrity were they impersonating? This has happened to me as well..
MBM
September 30, 2020
Spam wallet # asking for bitcoin to receive a federal grant of 3 million USD 38a9jUZisTHnAphTsGp1RRxGh2M6wgzPX6
Don'kant use y…
November 02, 2020
I am scam by my manager in bitcoin she told me i can withdraw my money but i have to pay $3100 then i paid it and asking me again to pay because the will not release
Karabelo
November 25, 2020

In reply to by Don'kant use y…

Its like me straight it was the manenger in bitcoin he told me i can withdraw the money but i have to deposit 6000 then ofter he say i must deposit 16.000 again to pay dragon VPN because of lacking network in all south africa
AmirahT
December 15, 2020

In reply to by Karabelo

I hope you got money back, I'm in the same situation now
Rere
December 26, 2020

In reply to by Don'kant use y…

This happened to me as well , was you able to get your money back
Millie Jean
February 09, 2021

In reply to by Don'kant use y…

Same thing happened to me. Was scammed since Oct 2020
ave
March 13, 2021

In reply to by Don'kant use y…

yeah me too, they ask me to purchase a cold wallet to be able to withdraw my profits worth $500,when I've completed the amount they ask again $200,they said it become increase, i said oh i can't give you anything no more i already give you the last money that i have,if i have money now i have rather buy a foods.
victim2021
March 29, 2021

In reply to by ave

Hello same with me , a complete scam they were working with specific company , mirror trading international , I was scammed for 1400 dollars and im unemployed... so this is like a big slap in the face . same story , initial investment , and you would get profit , they would use the capital to invest in forex , when it was time to pay they asked 10 percent to be send in order to release funds this cycle was repeated for 2 weeks and I ended up losing 1400 dollars . never got my money again.
dscreditsoluti…
March 19, 2021

In reply to by Don'kant use y…

I was just scammed by that same person I made 26666 and she told me I had to pay 3100 dollars her name is Lisa_cryptotrader she runs cryptospherefx.com she scammer I should of known this, she scams people
Franca
September 21, 2021

In reply to by dscreditsoluti…

I also got scammed by one Lisa… Did you chat her on WhatsApp?
J.
October 12, 2021

In reply to by dscreditsoluti…

same some vanessa_fx ask me to deposit 200. Supposedly I made 4700 in profits but for me to get it i had to send 400. Bucks
Keshava N
April 19, 2021

In reply to by Don'kant use y…

Yes I also experience the same... I invested 120$ and they told I madee 1500$ profit so they asked me to sent 65$ to take out... I did 3 times but they didn't received my payment they told....
lulu
May 03, 2021

In reply to by Don'kant use y…

Which company did u invest with. I also invested now they telling me to pay money for upgrading my account before I can so anything
Mike
July 20, 2021

In reply to by lulu

Which cryptocurrency platform or investment is this? I am in the same situation.
Pruddy
September 12, 2021

In reply to by Don'kant use y…

Same thing happen to me the manager of foriegnexchange24/7 , His name is Sam salvatore . He ask me to make an deposit when I did he said that it wasn't enough , deposit some more which I did and he still wouldn't released the profit . He want me to make another deposit of a $100US. For me that's a lot of money am from the Caribbean where that's approximately $1000 . I am asking him to send back the deposits that I made I don't want the profit his not responding.
Chandra
November 19, 2020
A person named Sofia will contact people on watsapp and lure with investment oppurtunites in there company by website sagecapitalfund. co Initial deposit earns 20% interest and slowly they demand to raise capital upto 10k, all money is deposited by bitcoin transfers from users wallet to this site Scammer provides training on how to purchase bitcoin from open market and transfer to company Once deposited they stop all communication and nobody responses. Website seems to be fake and most of bitcoin transactions are done
John
February 28, 2021

In reply to by Chandra

I too was scammed by a woman named Sofia from WhatsApp. Kept Pushing the transactions higher and higher even adding her own funds to get bigger returns. I was a fool now my retirement savings are all but gone. Is there any way to get your money back?
Spannman
May 23, 2021

In reply to by John

This is all the same type of stories I also have. They all have a few things in common. First they want money. They call it investment then after a few days they say you have a profit. From there they try to use that number which is usually over $1000 to extort more money from you. This is when it becomes a crime. Extortion is very serious. It's happen to me more than 30 times before I realised they are all the same. None are going to pay you not even $10. Infact they will take your money when your being evicted from your home promising you they are going to make it all better. It's just a scam. I just wish so bad I could call the cops or someone that can stop these people.
Snewton
April 12, 2021

In reply to by Chandra

I think this Sofia scammed for 250 but when she asked for more money I reported her.
Screwed by San…
November 20, 2020
There is a woman named Cassie Harmon out of San Antonio TX added me on Instagram she was a Bitcoin investor gym trainer. After a few months of following her, I decided to start investing with her. Every step of the way, she would keep needing more money from me so I could access my funds. I hit a breaking point today where $40k+ later I’m out after there was another fee. I told her I’m filing a report with the FTC
Daviskl
December 26, 2020

In reply to by Screwed by San…

This sounds a lot like how I’ve been scammed by someone called Richard Maldonado and his supposed company smartfxnetwork.online but apparently there webpage is fake as I found out yesterday
Karabelo
November 25, 2020
Hi i was investing 3000 first to earn 30.000 it was 17 november 2020 on the 18 november laiter i receive massage from my manenger its like investor Nokubonga deposit 6000 to get 70.000 in 5minutes you bit a huge profit i do deposite first i was talking to that guy that i dnt have money am not working so i will take 6000 for the funeral because he was promising me to get money in 5minutes so now he block my email my account but i have deposit proofs and the photo of the bank i was use to deposit the money they sant a bank detail please help
Mtet1630
December 05, 2020
I was scammed anyway to report and get my money back?
Philip Morris
December 11, 2020
I suddenly recieved a message request on my Messenger by two people, they have the same way on introducing, after messages on Messenger they are asking if i have a Whatsapp , they say that they are working in forex , i checked the FB profile of the first one ,he was working in bitcoin since 2005 i don't know if that account is real because he have a pic 2005 ago in the profile , he is still waiting for me to top up on my ABRA account. The other one is using a female identity, she is also asking for my Whatsapp , i asked her if can i call her on Messenger she say no, then next day the female account suddenly deactivated. My question is this two persons is scammers??
Angeli
December 15, 2020
It's been a month that someone named "Garrick Henry Marcus" phone number +1 (256) 472-1875 told me that I need to invest for my future. He told me to invest $100 but I told him I don't have a job and I can't. He made me convinced so I pawn the pendant of my necklace and I sent him $20 through PayPal. There was an error in terms of reason of the money that it should be for "friends or family". The money was successfully sent but the receiver forwarded my money back to my account. Henry told me that I need to use coins.ph so I did. I gave him my credentials to log in in that app so he can process right away. He keep asking for additional $50 way back then and just yesterday I sent $50 as what he told me that I can't get my profit if I didn't pay for the transaction fee and I can't get $1000 if I didn't pay additional $50. I don't know what to do now. Haven't slept well last night because of this. It might be a small amount ($250) but it's very essential to my family. I regret everything and if I could just turn back the time, if I've known earlier what kind of person he is, then I didn't add him as one of my friends.
Joseph Borigas
January 05, 2021
A girl named Isla Hanna (on LinkedIn) lured me to their AstraTrader Bitcoin Investment. She has a good profile (looks professional) and has a social media following so I believed her. She contacted me using LinkedIn and asked me to install Telegram, where we communicated. After creating my bitcoin wallet account, she asked me to send my initial investment to her, claiming it will grow in a couple of hours. After sending my money (converted to bitcoin), she can't send the promised returns to my bitcoin wallet. She said that there was a crash in her system, and she mentioned that there is another way - via blockchain.com, and I need to deposit another sum of money to facilitate her deposit via blockchain.com. The total amount I sent is now close to 3000 USD, and I still yet to receive the proceeds. Now, she does not respond to my messages.
Joy
August 05, 2021

In reply to by Joseph Borigas

This same thing happened to me. Exactly same story like you.i invested around 400 USD .he said you will get 4000usd profit. After one or two days guy contacted again asking for 1000 USD to release the profit .I told him I don't have anything to pay you anymore. Rather you pay the amount and deduct it from my profit,he's like that's not possible, then after bargaining guy started asking to pay atleast 250usd to release my profit. But I didn't I was aware that I am scammed which I regret ,but I didn't let them fool me further
Don't use your…
September 03, 2021

In reply to by Joseph Borigas

Wow it happen to me also a lady add me on whatsapp then ask me if I want my porfit after that she told me to pay $200 for fee money then after that I must pay $300 for ungrade then told me they going to send the porfit to a agent in south africa but I must pay her R3000 so I did it after that she have a problem whit her pc and send it back to the company and then they send it to a other agent I also pay R1000 then he wants a certificate from me that I pay $500 after that there was no ID on so I must pay $1000 so I pay it no they want me to pay a nother $500 for whitdraw
ronald1216
January 06, 2021
i know a women on face book ethan sofia who begging me to open up a bitcoin account to give her 200$ mining bit coin and recieve double this sounds like a scam
69triz
January 20, 2021
Skeptical apparently there is an opportunity where you invest 100 get 120 back next day then you must invest 1000 to get 1800 back in 2 days it sounds like a scam I was messaged by Bryan v Helmer on Instagram and the site is crypto-waveminer.io
Embarrassed
February 04, 2021
I am ashamed to admit I got scammed today 250aud by bitcoin revolution.. beware scam website
Ashamed
March 24, 2021

In reply to by Embarrassed

How did you get your money back? I think I got scammed too on Instagram this guys name is robert_parker119 and he scammed me out of 250 dollars in Bitcoin
Ganesh
February 06, 2021
I have a message from japan Name Akehay, she is a business women getting lot of profit in bitcoin an have txt for long days, only aim is to register in bitcoin,.Now she is fighting with me as your not interested to make money. so please should not reply in whatsup. I was already deposited online money & failed . Again i no need to spend even single penny in online unknown bussiness.
Manotoronto
February 07, 2021
I got scammed when withdrawal crypto currency thru PayPal and they no want solve the issue I lost 7 k on binance and Paypal
Kevin374
February 08, 2021
I was scammed by fake moderator on crypto subreddit where I reached for advice on issues with my transaction stuck in pending transfer, couldn't withdraw my funds. The scammer directed me to walletsconnect.io website that turned out to be phishing scam website where he obtained my private key to my digital wallet and drained my accounts.
Kani
February 08, 2021
I was scammed by a person called Jaxon albert from Telegram. He has a whole group of 2000 + members. Please be careful. They ask you send a small amount of money and little by little they raise it and ask for more. I got scammed USD $900
SweetBab3
March 16, 2021

In reply to by Kani

Yes that Jaxon Alberta is a big scammer it happened to me too
Christopher walker
February 17, 2021
I was also scammed of my hard earned money
Derek Freeman
February 17, 2021
I was scammed 3 times of bitcoin
glenn45
February 17, 2021
I also experienced this scam in Telegram. I was scammed by this person name Marcos Richard from Telegram which he has a big group of 200 + members. Just be careful and be vigilant. I did invest $1,500 for Bitcoin trading and then they will keep asking you a charge fee to release the profit. So, I got scammed around $1500.
Peter
February 19, 2021
There is a man sometimes he will introduce himself as Will Murphy or Dr Wilson he will advise you to invest in their platform veracityminers.com and get 20% interent then they will keep on asking for more deposits, without paying you.